High shoe



- A. NIEMI HIGH SHOE.

Filed April 25. 1926 Ill Patented Feb. 8, 1927. i

" ANDREW-mer no HANGocKQMICHIG AN.

1 ,1 HIGH SHOE; v

Amman-tailed April 23,1926. 1 s ria tivo. 1 4. 24.

The invention relates to improvements in shoes of the type in which the upper is provided with an upwardly extending leg portion split down its front coincident with the split along the instep portion, a lacing and the ordinary eyes or other fasteners being employed to close the split. The invention also relates to shoes of this type in which a flap is carried by one side of the leg portion tov extend in front ofthelacing and lap onto the other side of the"1eg,giving' a very desirable and neat shoe for any outdoor use, particularly for military purposes, hunting, fishing, etc.

It is theobject of the invention to im'- prove upon shoes of the-above described-nature, by providing novel elastic means for securing the flap in closed'position and holding it snugly in place whether the split of the leg portion of the upper be entirely or only partially closed by the lacing.

With the foregoing in view the invention resides. in the novel subject matter described and claimed, the description being supple-v mented by the accompanying drawings.

. Fig. 1 is a perspective view'of a shoe constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an exaggerated horizontal sectional view showing the flap secured closed.

F ig. 3 is a detail elevation showing an instrument, which is preferably used to apply and release the fastening means of the flap. In the drawings above briefly described,

the numeral 4 designates the upper of the shoe, said upper having an upward extension or leg portion 5 whlch 1s split down 1n front asat 6, coincident with the usual split 7 over the instep portion of the upper. Along the edges of the split 6'7 eyelets 8 have been shown, with which alacing 9 is engaged in the usual or any preferred manner. One side of the leg portion 5 is provided with a flap 10 to extend in front of the lacing and the eyelets, and novel provision is made for holding the flap in closed position.

The part of the leg portion 5, overlapped by the flap 10, is provided with a plurality.

of vertically spaced eyelets 11 through which elastic straps 12 pass from the interior to the exterior of the shoe, the. inner ends of these straps being preferably skived or tapered to feather edges as indicated at 13, and cemented or otherwise secured to the leg portion 5. The outer ends of these straps are provided with metallic loops 14 for engagementwith hooks 15 which are secured to the lnner side of the flap lO, and it will be understood that in order to interengage the fasteners 14 and 15, it is necessary to stretch the elastic 12 to some extent, so that the resiliency of the straps will thenact to ings of the loops 14. Each of the loops has one of its vertical side-s engaged with the strap 12, whereas its other side is outwardly T bowed as at 16 to engage the hook115. For

the purpose of stretching the straps, 'incident to fastening or releasing the coacting fasteners 14-.15, an instrument such as that shown in Fig. 3 is preferably used. This instrument preferably comprises a substantially fiat shank 17 having a pair of projecting spurs 18 at one'end, said spurs being spaced apart a distance greater than the vertical width of the outwardly bowed fastener portion 16, so that these spurs willengage, the ends of the loop 14, .as shown in Fig. 3,'leaving ample space for the hook 15 to enter or leave the portion 16. 1

By employing the construction shown and described, a shoe is produced which will be very desirable for outdoor purposes in general but is particularly advantageous for any rough outdoor work, and it will be seen that when the flap is snugly held closed, the general appearance given at the front, is that of a puttee overlapping the upper end of an ordinary high shoe.

In the preferred form of construction, the

legportion-5-isprovided with a relatively J narrow sidealong which one row of the fasteners. 8 is disposed, and with a relatively wide side whose front portion forms the flap 10, the other row of fasteners 8 being then carried by a separate strip 19 which is stitched at 20 or otherwise secured to the inner surface of the wide side of the leg.

As excellent results are obtainable from the general construction herein disclosed, it is preferably followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

I claim:-

In a shoe of the type having a leg portion a front split opening through the. upper end 'of said leg portion, lacing for closlng the split, and a flap on one side of the leg portion adapted to overlap the other side of said leg portion; a Vertical row of fasteners on the inner side of said flap, additional fasteners oooperable Withthe first named fasteners, and elastic straps disposed horizontally and carrying said additional fasteners, said leg portion of the shoe having openings through Which said elastic straps pass, the

inner ends of said straps being secured to disposed at the exterior of said leg portion.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ANDREW NIEMI. 

